Enrolment Scheme

Amendment Commences 1 January 2026

St Mark’s School (Christchurch) is a State integrated school with a Christian Special Character which is defined in its Integration Agreement.

Enrolment

The School operates an enrolment scheme under Section 71 and Clause 16 of Schedule 20 to the Education and Training Act 2020 (Act). The School Board (Board) is legally responsible for managing enrolments and is required to work within the school’s maximum roll as outlined in their Integration Agreement. The Board will manage the roll by offering a targeted number of places each year and assigning these places in accordance with priority categories.

The Act (Schedule 6, Clause 26) states that “The children of parents who have a particular or general philosophical or religious connection with a State integrated school must be preferred to other children for enrolment at the school”.

Area of Reasonable Convenience

The Act (Schedule 20, Clause 16b) states that an enrolment scheme “must accord priority to applicants for whom the school is a reasonably convenient school”. The Area of Reasonable Convenience for St Mark’s School (Christchurch) is defined as Christchurch City and Selwyn District.

Priority of Enrolment

Applications for enrolment close on the date published on the school’s website (Closing Date) and all applications will be processed in the following order of priority as at this date:

Preference Applicants

A preference applicant is the child of parents/guardians who have established to the satisfaction of the Proprietor a particular or general religious or philosophical connection with the Special Character of the School as described in the Integration Deed of Agreement.

Priority 1 – within catchment

Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, reside within the school’s catchment will be offered places in the following Priority order;
Applicant;

a. Who is the sibling of a current student of St Mark’s School
b. Whose Parent/Caregiver is a member of the St Mark’s Anglican Parish (including clergy licensed to the parish)
c. Whose Parent/Caregiver is a member of the Anglican Diocese (including clergy licensed to an Anglican parish)
d. Whose Parent/Caregiver serves St Mark’s School as a current member of staff, School Board, or Board of Proprietors representative
e. Whose Parent/Caregiver or Sibling is a former student of St Mark’s School
f. All other Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, reside within the school’s catchment

Priority 2 – outside catchment

Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, reside outside the school’s catchment will be offered places in the following Priority order; Applicant;

a. Who is the sibling of a current student of St Mark’s School
b. Whose Parent/Caregiver is a member of the St Mark’s Anglican Parish (including clergy licensed to the parish) c. Whose Parent/Caregiver is a member of the Anglican Diocese (including clergy licensed to an Anglican parish)
d. Whose Parent/Caregiver serves St Mark’s School as a current member of staff, School Board, or Board of Proprietors representative
e. Whose Parent/Caregiver or Sibling is a former student of St Mark’s School
f. All other Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, reside within the school’s catchment

All Preference Applicants will be given priority over all Non-Preference Applicants seeking enrolment. If the total number of applications from Preference Applicants is less than the number of places available, all Preference Applicants will be enrolled.

Non-Preference Applicants

Non-Preference Applicants may be considered for enrolment only if enrolment places remain after all Preference Applicants have been enrolled and the total roll is still less than the maximum specified in the Integration Agreement. The maximum number of places available for Non-Preference Applicants will be governed by the maximum allowable under the Integration Agreement.

Priority 3 – within catchment

Non-Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, resides within the school’s catchment. Priority in enrolment will be given in the following order:
Applicant;

a. Who is the sibling of a current student of St Mark’s School
b. Whose Parent/Caregiver serves St Mark’s School as a current member of staff or School Board.
c. Whose Parent/Caregiver or Sibling is a former student of St Mark’s School
d. All other Non-Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, reside within the school’s catchment

Priority 4 – outside catchment

Non-Preference Applicants who, on the Closing Date, resides outside the school’s catchment. Priority in enrolment will be given in the following order:
Applicant;

Parental Consent

Non-Preference Applicants accept that education will be delivered in accordance with the special character of the school.
All Applicants accept that they will be required to pay attendance dues as set by the Proprietor and these are compulsory.

Allocation of Places and Wait List

If there are more Applicants at any year level, in categories than there are places available, places will be allocated in priority order until a category is reached where the number of spaces available in that category is insufficient to accommodate the number of eligible students. Places will then be allocated by ballot.

If the total number of applications is greater than the number of places available, unsuccessful Applicants will have their names recorded on a waiting list at each year level within their relevant priority category. Applicants on the waiting list may be offered places at a later date if places become available. The waiting list will remain current until the Board next notifies the public that it is inviting applications for the next enrolment intake.

Notifications for Pre-Enrolment Processes

The Board must place a public notice in a medium appropriate to the area served by the school indicating the likely number of places available and the significant pre-enrolment dates and procedures that will apply.

Definitions

“Applicant” means a prospective student for whom the application is being made.

“Closing Date” means the publicly notified date in each year by which applications for enrolment at the School are to be received.

“Maximum Roll” means the maximum number of students that should be enrolled for attendance at the School as prescribed from time to time under its Integration Agreement.

“Proprietor” means the body corporate that has the primary responsibility for determining the special character of the school and for supervising the maintenance and preservation of that special character; and who owns, holds in trust, or leases the land and buildings that constitute the premises of the school.

“School” means St Mark’s School (Christchurch)
Words which refer to the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa.

Notes

The selection processes described above will be the basis for students applying to enrol either at the beginning of, or during the school year.
Applicants may be required to give proof of address or sibling relationship.